Hong Kong.
Oh, to be let loose here with an unlimited credit card would be so sinfully delicious.

Her: Are you a make-up person?
Me: Not so often, more so in HK.
Her: Why HK but not NYC?
Me: There’s more pressure in HK.

First, we have the malls for the masses, reliable, reasonable and practical with lots of fun Japanese imports. Then there are the luxury malls. Chock full of high-end brands and catered towards the well-to-do and expats. They dazzle you with the snooty signs and matching colors, all surfaces top to bottom are polished to perfection, reflecting your every imperfection. Large window displays screaming glam sex appeal with a judgemental mannequin frozen in the spotlight. Sigh. Fancy brands make me sigh in envy but also admittedly are not my cup of tea (nor within my price range). Even so, walking through these malls are a real treat for the eyes and a good education. It’s almost like walking through a high quality fashion magazine with live commentary running through your head. Current styles and colors seep into you via osmosis and you go home secretly vowing to spend more time and effort on your appearance.

It matters because what we wear and how we look have an effect on how we are perceived, as well as what we think about ourselves. Better service, more successful, even the good ol’ self fulfilling prophecy will bring you up. It may not be everything, but in this world every little bit matters. How can you not judge a new book by its cover when that’s the first thing you see. It isn’t all about the money though. I think the real challenge is learning the right style for that “look” you want to project as a means to an end. As for me, I try at times but mostly I’m a tad too content with where I am. Comfort and style have to go hand in hand and its taken a while for me to find the right balance. It’s almost a shame I don’t try harder having grown up in HK and residing in the big city. Alright. Tomorrow I’ll buy a hairbrush, and after that I’ll begin brushing my hair!

And then there are the malls that make the little asian girl in me quiver and shake with excitement. My pupils dilate, my heartbeat escalates, and I fight the urge to purchase all things that projects that tiny, cute, and fluffy feeling. There is something that is just irresistible about these perfect little art forms. Fluffy teddies and bunnies, tiny characters and big puppy dog eyes, things covered in polka dots, and kitties that are made to ultimate perfection all have a special place in my heart. it’s like kryptonite for asian girls. Here we have shops that are just full of these darling little trinkets, dolls, stationary, phone covers, even stores that specialize in cats alone. I want it all, but that dratted common sense of mine always kicks in and leaves me empty-handed. Who needs this junk it says, why waste your money it says, what will you do with it it says.. what a buzz kill I say!

Despite my bully of an ego to my Id, I have managed to build up a small collection of things that won my heart. No prizes for being able to guess the theme! They sit at home in HK now, but one day I’ll have a beautiful glass shelf to proudly display my kryptonite.

And finally the super-kryptonite that grew up with me through thick and thin, the cute old lady, the papered, over fed, cuddle bug love-of-my-life, my darling chinese kitty -Ah-gum!

HK may look small on a map but it has a lot to offer. Besides being an international hub and a shopping mecca, we also have a deep cultural side that can be revealed through the many villages and temples. For a breath of fresh air I ventured with my parents to a temple, the Fung Ying Seen Koon. Taoist temples are especially eye-catching as they are more colorful and decorated compared to Buddhist and Confucian temples. You can usually identify one by a flaming pearl between two dragons on the main temple as well as the lines of adorable formidable mythical creatures decked out on the roof.

After a brief rainstorm mr. grouchy cat trotted by. He was somewhat disturbed by camera wielding me and trotted off towards the vegetarian food hall. He’s not tricking anyone though. Clearly mr. pious temple kitty has a nice source of meat, just look how round he is!

I also spotted a red-whiskered bulbul (had to google that), and what a cutie he was! Hopping around the temple pillar to pillar, he stopped briefly on the ceiling fan that spun lazily in the breeze, caught up with the chatty sparrows, and swooped down to carefully pick out a plump green berry. If you look closely at the last picture you’ll see it in his beak!

I hope you enjoyed the temple. That day was a great memory for me and I am glad I could share a little of it. I promise (for real this time!) that the next post will feature shopping!

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For those not used to life in a city, Hong Kong can be overwhelming. One overcomes this simply by looking up past all signs and lamp-posts where, for a brief moment, you are amongst the breeze.

So how does one get around Hong Kong? Our public transportation system is awesome. Bus, mini-bus, taxi, ferry, MTR/Mass Transit Railway, and our double-decker tram that has proudly operated since 1912, there isn’t an excuse for not reaching your destination. All reasonably priced and payable with the beep of an electronic card fondly called “baat daat tong” or “octopus” because of its vast compatability. Be it gas, fast food, parking meters, supermarkets, vending machines, ticket booths, using this card saves time for everyone, one of the Hong Konger’s main mantras. Gosh, even our cab doors open and close automatically! ( In NYC disgruntled cabbies will remind you very quickly that this is not the case). Can’t read chinese? Don’t worry. All public signs, maps, and announcements are in english and chinese. It’s an East meets West mentality here!

There are crowds in Hong Kong, and always will be, but none will get in your way like the blobs of shutter happy tourists in Times Square. You too will learn the skill of darting through people like a nimble ballerina, shopping bags in one arm, cold drink in the other. Everyone’s got a place to be, and the collective crowds move like a school of fish, gliding past obstacles, obeying traffic lights and lining up. True Hong Kongers, my friend, are a well-behaved crowd.

This concludes todays todays tour. Thank you for your patience. If you are wondering “what is that thing with the googly eyes?”. It’s not a banana and it’s not any part of a human body, though I have seen that one around promoting prophylactic use. This guy is a giant version of one of our many snacks, something akin to a single cheese puff the size of a hot dog. Mmm. Asian snacks can be fun!

My next post will go one step closer past the streets into the heart of HK, featuring some crazy cute kitty phone covers.

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It was my first stop this summer and also the wonderful city I grew up in. Warm memories of delicious chinese foods, hustle and bustle of busy citizens, and colorful abundance come to my mind. Buildings are blissfully merged, ranging from vintage chinese apartments, British colonial leftovers, to the polished panes of high-rise towers.

This is just one side of things, but it tells you a little about the history of Hong Kong. Once described as a barren rock dotted with san-pan boats, it was colonized by the British where it flourished into its unique East meets West culture. China resumed sovereignty in 1997 where Hong Kong now runs under the one country two systems political system. I grew up during the switch from West to East and I wouldn’t have exchanged it for anything. Its getting a little late now but do stay tuned for more tidbits of my travels day by day, and I promise that felines will soon be involved!

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Deep down I wish I had met a cat like this, a street cat that would one day follow me home and be inseparable rain or shine. Instead I have a domestic cat that will run and hide at the first hint of trouble using me as her trampoline. Its okay Blue. If you are reading this I still love you loads!

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Look what my coworker gave me today! A blueblue card even though it wasn’t a special occasion. What she wrote inside was even sweeter than the outside. This is totally going to make my week :) via PicsArt Photo Studio